Pin-guard.



H. W. MATTONI.

PIN GUARD.

APIiLIOATION TILED JAN. 28, 1911.

1,024,268. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

lA/VE/VTOI? Wag W520i BY ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH c0 WASHINGTON, D. c.

HENRY W. MATTONI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF i; FIQE.

ONE-HALF T0 MARY F.

LYNCH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIN- GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 28, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912. Serial No. 605,182.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HENRY WV. MATTONI, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Man hattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Pin-Guard, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to pin guards, for use with hat pins and the like, and has reference more particularly to a device of this class which comprises a head, a clutch carried thereby and adapted to receive and grip the end of the pin near the point thereof, and a cushion point protector carried by the head and adapted to receive the point of the 1n. p The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and durable pin guard which can be used with hat pins and the like, by means of which the point of the pin can be guarded so that the danger of injury to the person or garments, by the point of the pin is obviated, which can be easily applied and as easily released, which requires but a simple manipulation for its attachment and removal with respect to the pin, the head or body of which may be of any suitable ornamental or other form, and which is provided with a cushion protector for preventing injury or deformation of the pin point itself.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of an attachment of my invention, showing the same applied to a hat pin; and Fig. 2is a longitudinal section of the guard mounted upon the end of a hat pin.

Before proceeding to a more detailed eX- planation of my invention, it should be clearly understood that while the device can be used with pins of different kinds, it is particularly designed for employment with hat pins used by women for securing their hats in place. These pins usually project to greater or lesser lengths beyond the hats, and there is always present the danger of injury to the persons or apparel of others,

especially in crowds. Furthermore, the projecting ends of the pins are unsightly. My guard, when applied to a hat pin, absolutely covers the end of the pin, and thus obviates the danger of injury by the same, and also renders it attractive and ornamental in appearance.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I provide a guard head or body 10, which may be of any suitable ornamental or other form. In the guard shown for example, herewith, a circular head is illustrated, having a flat face and a rounded, irregular outer surface. Preferably the head is concave, so that the clutch of the guard is practically concealed. The clutch 11 is preferably fashioned from wire or other similar material which has a certain normal degree of resiliency. The wire is wound intermediate its ends into a plurality of spring coils 11, so that the clutch comprises two sides or members 12 and 13. The part 12 between its extremity and the coils 11, is wound upon itself to form a number of coils 14, and has the end 15 offset and secured by means of solder or in any other suitable manner to the flat face of the guard head. The arm 13 of the clutch between its free end and the coils 11, is also wound upon itself to form spiral coils 16 similar to the parts 14. At its free end, the arm 13 has .a circular grip 17 by means of which it can be conveniently manipulated, as will appear hereinafter. The spring coils 11 tend normally to spread the arms 12 and 18, so that these are at an angle with one another. Consequently, the planes of the openings fromed by the coils 14 and 16 are angularly disposed relative to one another. When the pin or like object is to be inserted in the coils 14 and 16, the end 17 of the arm 13 is pressed toward the arm 12, so that the openings are brought into parallelism to permit the insertion of the pin point. Thereafter, when the arm 13 is released, the spring coils 11 spread parts of the clutch, so that the latter grips the pin, owing to the relative angularity of the openings of the coils 14 and 16. In this Way, the clutch is securely though removably held upon the pin, and the guard is properly located in operative position.

To facilitate the attachment of the guard to a pin, I prefer to employ a funnel-shaped guide 18, having a reduced, cylindrical end 19 which is mounted in the openings formed by the coils 16. The outwardly flaring part of the guide permits the point of the pin to be easily directed into the clutch openings. It will be understood that the effective opening of the coils 16 when the guide is used, is formed by the reduced opening of the smaller end of the guide, as is shown most clearly in Fig. 2.

I have found it desirable to provide a cushion point protector for the end of the hat pin. This protector preferably comprises a plate 20 having one edge 21 inwardly disposed to form a retaining flange, and a cushion 22 of cork, rubber or the like. This cushion is mounted upon the plate and is held in position by an inwardly disposed flange 21. The protector is positioned between the guard and the offset arm 12 of the clutch, so that the cushion surface is positioned over the opening of the coils 14. \Vhen the point of the pin is passed through the clutch openings, it can bury itself in the cushion, and is thus protected against injury. The cushion is removable, and as it wears away can be shifted about, to present a new surface for the penetration of the pin point.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A pin guard comprising a head, a clutch carried thereby and serving to attach said head removably to a pin, said clutch being fashioned from wire formed into spring coils intermediate its sides, whereby said clutch comprises two parts tending to spring apart, said clutch having other coils constituting openings for the reception of the pin, the planes of said openings being normally at an angle, whereby said clutch tends to bind upon the pin.

2. A pin guard comprising a head, a clutch fashioned from wire and consisting of a U'shaped member, the sides whereof tend to spring apart, the sides of said member being formed into coils intermediate their ends, for the reception of the pin, a flaring guide associated with said clutch and having a reduced part mounted in the opening of one of said coils, and a cushion point protector opposite the second coil carried by said head and adapted to receive the point of the pin.

3. A pin guard comprising a head, a clutch fashioned from wire secured to one face thereof and consisting of a U-shaped member the sides whereof tend to spring apart, the sides of said member being formed into coils intermediate their ends, for the reception of the pin, a flaring guide associated with said clutch and having a reduced part mounted in the opening of one of said coils.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY W. MATTONI.

WVitnesses:

J GEN K. BRAOHVOGEL, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

